Teen hits new high in contest

Teenager Louisa Stirland has won all the prizes in Lancashire and Cumbria Rotary Young Musician Competition’s vocalist section.

The BBC Young Chorister of the Year, who attends Penwortham Girl’s High School, had already won the area event for all schools in Leyland, Chorley and South Ribble in January, and went on to win the district event last Saturday at Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School. Louisa, 16, sang a Bach song, I Dreamed A Dream from musical Les Miserables, and I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady. The judges were impressed by the range of Louisa’s soprano voice.

Richard Lea of the Rotary Club of South Ribble, which sponsored the event, said: “South Ribble and the school should be very proud of our rising singing star. Louisa has a bright future ahead of her”.

She will go on to compete in the North West England and North Wales Rotary Young Musician event in Clitheroe on March 17.

Eleanor Turner, 15, of Holy Cross Catholic High School was the runner-up.